RS bypoll: BJP nominee Rekha Sharma files nomination, set to be elected unopposed
Chandigarh, Dec 10: Former National Commission for Women chief and BJP nominee Rekha Sharma filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha bypoll from Haryana here on Tuesday.
Being the lone candidate in the fray, she is set to get elected unopposed.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, state BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli and Minister Krishan Lal Panwar were among those who accompanied Sharma when she submitted her nomination papers before the returning officer at the Haryana Assembly secretariat here.
Speaking to reporters after filing her nomination, Sharma said, "I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, Amit Shah ji, J P Nadda ji, Manohar Lal Khattar and Nayab Singh Saini ji for giving me an opportunity once again to serve the nation."
She also touched upon several initiatives and schemes brought by the Narendra Modi government for women empowerment.
"Congratulations and best wishes for your victory in advance," Chief Minister Saini posted in Hindi on X after Sharma filed her nomination.
The BJP announced Sharma's name for the December 20 Rajya Sabha bypolls on Monday. The opposition has decided not to field a candidate.
In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, the BJP has 48 members and the Congress 37. The INLD has two MLAs while three are Independents who support the Nayab Singh Saini government.
The Rajya Sabha seat in Haryana fell vacant when Krishan Lal Panwar of the BJP got elected as an MLA in the state assembly polls held in October. Panwar is now the Development and Panchayat Minister in the BJP government in Haryana.
Speaking to reporters after Rekha Sharma filed her nomination, CM Saini, while replying to a question, highlighted that Prime Minister Modi is consistently working on empowering women by launching new schemes and policies.
Saini said that on Monday the prime minister launched the "Bima Sakhi" scheme of LIC from Panipat. It will greatly benefit women by providing employment opportunities and making them stronger and more self-reliant, he said.
The chiefg minister also informed reporters that the Maharaja Agrasen Airport in Hisar is in its final stages of completion and will commence operations soon.
This airport will open up opportunities for an industrial hub around Hisar and drive development, generating numerous employment opportunities, he said, adding the airport would benefit not only Haryana but also Punjab and Rajasthan.
An official statement here had earlier said that the schedule for the lone vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana had been notified on December 3 and nominations could be filed till December 10. The nomination papers will be scrutinised by the office of the Returning Officer on December 11.
Nominations may be withdrawn until 3 pm on December 13. If necessary, voting was to take place on December 20 at the Haryana secretariat, between 9 am to 4 pm, the statement had earlier said.
Notably, of the five RS seats in Haryana, Subhash Barala, Ram Chander Jangra and Kiran Choudhry are BJP members while Rekha Sharma is also set to be elected unopposed. Kartikeya Sharma is an Independent member.
आज मुख्यमंत्री श्री @NayabSainiBJP जी और प्रदेश अध्यक्ष श्री मोहन लाल बडौली जी की उपस्थिति में राज्यसभा उप-चुनाव हेतु हमारी प्रत्याशी राष्ट्रीय महिला आयोग की पूर्व अध्यक्षा श्रीमती @sharmarekha जी ने टीम हरियाणा के हमारे सभी सदस्यों से भेंट कर अपना नामांकन दाखिल किया। pic.twitter.com/W27P8moyUY
— Haryana BJP (@BJP4Haryana) December 10, 2024
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TVK chief should be given opportunity to prove majority in TN Assembly: Omar
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said there was no justification for the Tamil Nadu governor to stop TVK leader Vijay from forming the government, and he should be provided an opportunity to prove majority in the assembly.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday rejected TVK chief Vijay's claim to form the government, stating that his party lacks the requisite numbers.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has fallen short of meeting a simple majority to form the government in Tamil Nadu. Though the Congress with five MLAs has offered support to TVK, Vijay's party falls short of a simple majority of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Abdullah said there was no justification for President's rule in Tamil Nadu in view of numerous Supreme Court judgements emphasising on inviting the single largest party to form the government and then prove its majority on the floor of the house.
"If we see the Supreme Court judgement, then there should be no President's rule. There are so many cases in which the SC has clearly stated that after the elections, the single largest party should be invited (for government formation) and they should be allowed to prove their majority in the assembly," Abdullah told reporters here when asked about the political situation in Tamil Nadu.
"It happened when (former prime minister) (A B) Vajpayee formed the government for 13 days, the President of India did not wait for him to show his numbers. The President of India invited him, the government was there for 13 days, but when Vajpayee did not have the numbers, he resigned," he said.
So, if we take the SC judgement, the J-K CM added, then the Tamil Nadu Lok Bhavan "has no justification to stop this process".
"Vijay should be allowed to form the government, and then he should be provided an opportunity to prove his majority and if he proves, he will remain, but if not, then he will have to resign," Abdullah said.
To a question on whether there would be impact of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Jammu and Kashmir, the CM said its impact remains to be seen in the rest of the country first as the assembly elections in the Union territory were not due till 2029.
"As of now it (SIR) has happened in Bengal only. Why are you worried about J-K? The elections are not to take place here till 2029. Let us first see its impact in the rest of the country. What we had to suffer (in J-K), we have. We suffered their delimitation, which was done to benefit the BJP and its friends. Let's see what happens in the future," he said.
On the reported remarks of Leader of Opposition in the J-K assembly, Sunil Sharma, that if the chief minister goes for cabinet expansion, then his party, the National Conference (NC), would suffer like the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and someone like Eknath Shinde would emerge here as well, Abdullah said all his MLAs stand firmly with the party.
"This tells about the intentions of the BJP. 'Aaya Ram Gaya Ram' (turncoats). Eknath Shinde left because the BJP helped him to leave. It is obvious that the LoP is impatient to hold the chair of the chief minister of J-K. I will only tell him that there is no Eknath Shinde in the National Conference. NC's MLAs stand firmly with the party," he said.
Abdullah said the cabinet expansion is on hold because statehood has not been restored to J-K.
"Cabinet expansion is not on hold because of any fear and that is why I regularly say that the LoP proves through statements like this that till the BJP does not get power, they will not allow us to work smoothly and will not make J-K a state again," he said.
Hitting out at the LoP and the BJP, the J-K CM said the people of J-K, especially those who voted for the BJP in the last elections, should remember that the LoP and his party "indulge in the politics of blackmail and the people here are intimidated in the name of statehood".
